Jan. 1, 1904.] 
THE TROPICAL AGllICULTURIS'I. 
473 
was foand worn oat by liia efforts to hold on in 
the 'teeth of the wind. With cliaracteristiu 
prudence he determined the next night to roost 
under the awnins;, but the ship's cats showed 
such a desire to make hi-i closer acqiuuniauce 
that Iris friends on board decided that he would 
be safer caught and caged. He bore hi'^ im- 
prisonment with good grace and appetite like niy 
old friend the shrike, but his adventures had a sad 
ending. The weather was tenibly cold when we 
reached England this January and the poor crow, 
although he lived to be delivered at the Zoolo- 
gical Gardens, died before he had the opportunity 
of recounting his adventures and experiences to 
his fellow crows in the society's avi.uies. At 
any rate he could claim to have made a record 
as a stowaway that has seldom been equalled 
especially by a bird which eschews migration and 
foreign adventure to such an extent as does the 
town loving Indian crow. 
PEODUCE AND PLANTING. 
THE RUSSIAN BOYCOTT OF INDIAN TEA. 
A letter appeared recently in the Times from Sir 
Roper Lethbridge, who is very indignant with the 
wicked free-fooders aud their suggestion that the 
recent increase of the Russian duties on Indian tea is 
the result o£ the Indian Government's action impos- 
ing countervailing duties on bounty-fed Russian beet 
sugar. Sir Roper states that the reason for the Rus- 
sian tea duties is well known in Calcutta, and the tea 
plantations of the Caucasus, which are now being 
developed, have a striking similiaiity to Ceylon and 
Indian teas in f avour, aud it is with the object of 
fostering the new industry that a heavy duty has been 
imposed on the imported article. Sir Roper says :— 
" Why should the Czar admit Indian and Ceylon teas 
of precisely the same quality and flavour at a duty 
that would enable them to crush this most lucrative 
industry ? The free importers would freely do it, iu 
the sacred name of Free Trade; but the Czar is 
neither a fool nor a fanatic." It is common knowledge 
to all interested in tea-growing that the Russian 
authorities wish to protect their mnch-talked-of tea 
industry in the Caucasus, and that this was a reason 
for imposing heavier duties oa British-grown tea 
imparted into Russia. But it is quite likely that a 
double shot was intended, aud tliat in addition to 
wishing to foster the infant tea industry of the Cau- 
casus, the Russian Authorities may have also intended 
to show their resentment at the Indian countervailing 
duties on Russian bounty-fed sugar." 
THE SUPPLIES OF TEA AT AUCTION. 
The quantities of tea offered at public auction con" 
tinue on such a large scale that it is not surprisii;g to 
find the demand slackening. In their last circular 
Messrs Gow, Wilson and .Stanton sounded a note of 
warning on this subject. Few will be found to dispute 
this statement, but in practice each grower and impor- 
ter seems to rely on his neighbour to act upon it 
instead of following the advice himself. It is a difficult 
problem. Tea growers, many of whom have to con- 
sider shareholders clamouring for dividends are beset, 
with anxieties as to the best course to adopt, and as 
the plan for regulating supplies seems ineffective, tne 
old policy of everyone for himself is naturally reverted 
to, with the result that supplies come merrily to 
market and prices are not mamtained. 
THE BOARD OF CUSTOMS REPORT AND TEA. 
The annual return for year ending December 31, 
1902, of samples of tea analysed in the Customs Depart- 
ment under Section 30 of the Sale of Pood and Drugs 
Aot, 1S75, shows that the total number of samples 
analysed during the year was 1,399, as follows . — TliO 
samples black tea, congous, iSrc. ; 311 black tea, dust, 
23 black tea, sittings ; 27 green tea. faced ; 93 green 
tea, nnfaced ; 185 green tea, capers ; total 1,399. Of 
this total, 1,2.53 samples were considered satisfactory, 
and the impottations represented by them were accord- 
ingly delivered on the certificate of the analyst. 
The remaining 117 samples, representing 1,.522 
packages, were of doubtful character, and they were 
reported to the Board for their decision. The Board 
decided tiiat the whole of these 1,522 packages 
should not be admitted for homo consumption or for 
use as ship's stores, but should be restricted to expor- 
tation, or for the manufacture of caffeine. 
A TEA MISSIONARY,. 
Mr. A. Suter, of the Montreal branch of Crosfield, 
Lampard, Clark & Co., the London, England, and 
Colombo house, has returned from his two weeks' 
tour through New York State, Ohio, Michigan and 
Pennsylvania. ' Mr. Suter's trip was made,' says the 
Cmadiaii Grocer^ ' with a view of opening branches 
aud agencies for his house in the special interest of 
Ceylon and Indian teas, and though the popular taste 
has not taken hold of our southern and western 
cousins as in Canada, he was pleased to learn that 
owing to the stimulating advertising that had been 
done during the past number of years the trade was 
beginning to look with distinct favour upon these 
teas, and it was only a question of a few years when 
the excellent merits of British-grown teas would 
meet with favour. Many of the leading jobbers In 
Bay City, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Buffalo, and 
Pittsburg were considering the advisability of taking 
hold of Ceylon and Indian teas, and there is little 
doubt that the St. Louis Purchase Exhibition next 
year, where large buni^alows are being erected by the 
Ceylon Government and Tea Association for the 
purpose of introducing these teas to the American 
public, will have a marked effect. The introduction 
of Ceylon green teas since the Chicago Fair will make 
ihe work of diverting the taste of tea-drinkers easier, 
as Americans are, if drinkers of tea at all, more 
friendly to China and Japan greens than to blacks. 
Mr. Suter reports his reception as very favourable and 
most encouraging.' 
TEA INTERESTS AND PERSIAN TRADE- 
Mr J D Rees's lecture on " Persia and the Gulf 
Trade,'" had some remarks about tea, specially 
interesting. He said : " As regards tea the increase 
of 90 per cent must necessarily raise the retail price 
very considerably, and it was understood that importa- 
tion by the new Qaetta-Nnshki route had, for the time 
at any rate, I'eceived a severe check. This was a 
matter calling for the sympathetic attention of the 
Indian aud home Governments, Our interest in Persia 
and the Gulf solely resulted from there being in fact at 
the present time Indian frontiers. The spend-thrift 
and spiritless Shah would certainly barter the inde- 
pendence of the ancient Persian monarchy, and it was 
not too soon to think of the division. The recent 
appointment of more consuls was a sign of happy 
augury, aud now thut the North-West frontier 
of India was at length placed on a satisfactory foot- 
ing and reduced to its proper political dimensions 
the Gulf and its shores, which were the actual 
frontiers of our Eastern Empire, needed - and were 
receiving — attention. The recent trade treaty with 
Persia gave us a right to be consulted in future, which 
we had not had under previonsly existing arrangement. 
The present tariff was a revenue tariff. England got 
the same terms from Persia as Russia, the Foreign 
Office had not been so blind as was represented, 
aud though tea at a duty of 5 per cent could not 
compete with tea paying 95 per cent., the results as 
regarded this commodity could not be accurately 
gauged tilt all the stocks imported at the lower rate 
had been consumed. He could not but believe that 
the enormous increase was dictated by Russia to 
Persia to prevent the smuggling of tea over her 
protected border and at the .same time to injure the 
traffic from India by the Nushki route." — U. and C. 
Mail. 
